The present disclosure includes structures, methods, and systems for producing carbonated water by controllably combining uncarbonated water with carbon dioxide which is controllably dispensed and added to the uncarbonated water. The system includes structures which function to controllably introduce water into the system, devices for cooling or chilling the uncarbonated water, a carbonator assembly, and a controller for controlling the operation of the system.
A variety of devices have been developed which combine water and carbon dioxide to produce a carbonated water beverage. Generally, these devices include soda fountain-type dispensers which produce large volumes of carbonated water for combination with flavoring to produce a carbonated beverage or “soda”. Many of these large systems often include large carbon dioxide tanks remotely located relative to the dispenser and bag-in-box (BIB) flavor containers. The BIB containers are also similarly remotely located relative to the dispenser.
It would be useful to provide a carbonated beverage dispensing system which facilitates a combination of carbon dioxide with water in a configuration which provides a smaller footprint and reduces or eliminates dependency on remotely located carbon dioxide tanks and flavoring systems.
Additionally, it would be useful to develop a system which produces only carbonated water and allows the user to select carbonated water or chilled water, and alternatively ambient, unchilled water.
This background information is provided to provide some information believed by the applicant to be of possible relevance to the present disclosure. No admission is intended, nor should such admission be inferred or construed, that any of the preceding information constitutes prior art against the present disclosure. Other aims, objects, advantages and features of the disclosure will become more apparent upon reading of the following non-restrictive description of specific embodiments thereof, given by way of example only with reference to the accompanying drawings.
The exemplification set out herein illustrates embodiments of the disclosure that are not to be construed as limiting the scope of the disclosure in any manner. Additional features of the present disclosure will become apparent to those skilled in the art upon consideration of the following detailed description of illustrative embodiments exemplifying the best mode of carrying out the disclosure as presently perceived.